Engagement sessions are some of my absolute favorite to photograph!  In this session we get to meet and connect so that on a couple’s wedding day it feels like old friends meeting up to celebrate.  We get to be creative together, figure out which poses work best for you and get to know each other.  As your wedding photographer, I will probably be spending the most time with you on your wedding day.  I am there to capture all of the small moments for you, so your day can last forever! I want to make sure you have plenty of incredible moments throughout the day to put into your own wedding album. Remember, you get to flip through the pages of that album with your family to show them where your love story began!

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here and go back to the engagement session.  I include an hour engagement session with each of my wedding packages.  In this session, we can explore 1-2 locations and you have the option to bring 1-2 outfits for the photos! If you are planning on having two outfits, I would suggest one that is dressier and one that is casual.  It helps create more variety in the images.  

Here are some tips I have for engagement sessions: 

1. CLEAN YOUR RING! : (At a ring store or in your home, I personally use Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush to get any dirt out) I will be photographing your gorgeous diamond! This means that this would be a perfect opportunity to have your ring cleaned so that it’s clear of dirt and other build up that may be visible  through a macro lens!  

2. HAIR & MAKEUP : Splurge a little! If you were considering getting your hair and makeup done, this is the  perfect opportunity to treat yourself! You will cherish these images forever and so investing in professional hair  and makeup can be an extra fun way to celebrate the occasion and allow you to be extra confident during your  shoot!

3. THE TIMELINE : I am always a few minutes early to engagement sessions so that I can scope  out the location and find light that will be flattering on my couples! Because we are racing the sun and cannot  shoot after it has set, we recommend leaving 15-30 minutes earlier than you originally planned just to be safe!  

4. TAKE A DEEP BREATH! : You’re going to be amazing models! I always tell my couples that the BEST  models are the ones who have never modeled professionally before! And I mean it. The couples who are usually  most nervous are the couples who totally rock their session! So be encouraged and get excited!

OUTFIT INSPIRATION: I allow a maximum of 2 outfits for your engagement session to ensure that we have plenty of time to  capture both looks before sunset! During your one outfit change is when I will photograph your rings while I wait!  

I would recommend the following for your engagement session attire:

Couples:

– Neutrals such as blush, tans, light pinks, faint blues and teals, creams, grays and whites will always result in  more of a light and airy look to your images. These colors photograph softer and more romantically!  

– If you’re really looking for a soft, feminine look, I recommend a flowing, maxi-length dress or skirt! The  movement of this type of fabric photographs beautifully!

– I recommend a more formal outfit and a more casual one, so that you have plenty of variety to choose from later!  

– The goal is COORDINATING outfits instead of MATCHING! I also recommend avoiding both of  you wearing WHITE as a top. White doesn’t allow for any contrast in your images.  

Gentlemen:

– I recommend that you avoid patterns that are smaller than a dime! These small patterns can create  strange visual effects in a digital camera. Close-toed shoes photograph well, and I recommend avoiding  graphic tees and tennis shoes!  

Ladies:

– I recommend that you wear something that flatters the parts of you that you love the most and also  allows you to be extremely confident! If you are uncomfortable when you look in the mirror, then that probably isn’t the best outfit choice for you. I want you to be really confident in your outfit, because I know that you will love your portraits so much  more if you’re not worrying about how your clothes fit! 

To see examples of engagement sessions, view my blog here!